ALLENTOWN, Pa. (WFMZ) — Two Allentown City Council members are calling for measures they say would better protect the homeless.
Their proposed ordinance during Wednesday’s council meeting comes just weeks after the city shut down a homeless encampment.
Ce-Ce Gerlach and Natalie Santos are co-sponsoring the bill which calls to protect unsheltered individuals and their rights.
The bill comes following the closure of the Jordan Creek Encampment, a place that approximately 100 individuals called home before they were evacuated by the city on Sep. 29. Officials said it was evacuated due to its location on a flood plain.
The ordinance includes risk assessments to be done by the city to ensure encampments are safe.
The proposal also establishes a procedure for closing an encampment including giving residents written notice at least 90 days ahead of time and calls for the training of city employees in working with the unhoused.
“Due to the importance of the impact of this bill and what it will have on most of, if not all, the city bureaus, I believe it is best to have all council members present to review and evaluate the merits of it so I will be forwarding this bill to a committee of the whole,” said council president Daryl Hendricks.
Gerlac, who also sits on the Parks and Rec committee, questioned council as to why Parks and Rec could not review the bill before presenting it to council for a vote.
“We’re dealing with unsheltered folks, many of whom we just had a couple of weeks ago set up in West Park, which is Parks and Rec. We have many of them who are setting up along trails, which is Parks and Recreation. We have many of them who are setting up along waterways, which is Parks and Recreation. I know the attempt why this is being sent to the committee of the whole that everyone can be there and it will get tabled,” Gerlach said during Wednesday’s meeting.
Hendricks said the proposal impacts the entire city and must go to committee of the whole.